Composite wood and concrete pile and connector for the same



April 19, 1960 J. H. FOX

COMPOSITE woon AND CONCRETE FILE AND CONNECTOR FOR THE SAME INVENTOR M0567 H F01 ATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet l fl r i I w w w Filed Sept. 17, 1954 J. H. FOX

COMPOSITE WOOD AND CONCRETE PILE AND CONNECTOR FOR THE SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 17, 1954 INVENTOR J0 551 /1 H. FOX

ATTORNEYS COMPOSITE WOOD AND CONCRETE PILE AND CONNECTOR FOR THE SAME Joseph H. For, Birmingham, Ala. Application September 17, 1954, Serial No. 456,752 3 Claims. (Cl. 61-53) This invention relates to a composite wood and concrete pile, and more particularly to a pile for supporting structures in the ground where the Water line is near the surface.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a composite pile of the character designated which shall include improved means for connecting the concrete portion to the wooden portion thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide a composite pile of the character ldesignated which shall include improved means for anchoring the lower wood section securely to the upper concrete section whereby upward and sideward thrust on the upper section are transmitted with full force to the lower section.

A furtherobject of my invention is to provide a composite wood and concrete pile which shall embody means for anchoring the concrete section to the lower wooden section whereby a watertight joint is formed between the upper and lower sections.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a composite pile of the character designated which shall include annular and radially extending wedge members which extend into the wood section in such a manner as to compress the wood, thus securely anchoring the upper concrete section to the lower wooden section;

My present invention is an improvement over that described and claimed in my co-pending applications, Serial No. 383,788, filed October 2, 1953, and now Patent No. 2,782,606, dated February 26, 1957, and of which this is a continuation-in-part and entitled Composite Wood and Concrete Pile and, Serial No. 360,960, filed June 11, 1953, and entitled Composite Pile and now abandoncd.

As is well known in the art to which my invention relates, it is customary to cut 011 each wood pile at or below the water level and to provide a concrete upper section for the pile, above the water level. Heretofore, difliculties have been encountered in the erection of such composite piles due to the problems encountered in anchoring the concrete section to the Wooden section.

Briefly my invention comprises the provision of a cylindrical metal shell for receiving the concrete section which is secured to a ring like wedge member. The wedge member is forced into the wooden section thereby securing the cylindrical shell to the wooden section. To compress the wood inwardly of the ring member I also provide a second annular wedge member adjacent the center of the outer wedge member and generally radially directed wedge members between the annular wedge members. Also, a vertically disposed reinforcing bar may be anchored in the wooden section and project upwardly into the concrete section thereby adding strength to the composite pile.

Composite piles embodying features of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application in which: 1

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a composite pile nited States Patent O form of pile construction and taken constructed in accordance with my invention and taken generally along the line I-I of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view takenalong the line Ill-11 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the line HIIII of Fig. 1, the concrete and wooden sections being omitted for the sake of clarity;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing a modified generally along the line IV-IV of Fig. 6;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line VV of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along the line VI-VI of Fig. 4, the concrete and wooden portions being omitted for the sake of clarity;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmental view of the pile construction shown in Figs. 4 to 6;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of another form of pile construction taken generally along the line VIII--- VIII of Fig. 9;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken generally along the line IX-IX of Fig. 8, the concrete and wooden portions being omitted for the sake of clarity;

' Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view of another form of pile construction taken generally along the line XX of Fig. 12;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line XIXI of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken generally along the line XIL-XII of Fig. 10, the concrete and wooden portions being omitted for the sake of clarity;

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view of a still further modified form of my invention aken generally along the line XIII-XIII of Fig. 15;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken along the line XIV--- XIV of Fig. 13; and

Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken generally along the line XV-XV of Fig. 13, the concrete and wooden portions being omitted for the sake of clarity.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, I show in Fig. 1 a composite pile embodying a lower Wooden section 10 and an upper concrete section 11. To hold the concrete section 11 in 7 place, I provide a sheet metal shell 12 into which the concrete is poured. The lower end of the shell 12 is secured by any suitable means such as by welding, to a cast steel wedge member indicated generally at 13 which fits snugly within the shell 12, as shown in Fig. 1.

The wedge member 13 comprises an annular wedge ring 14 having a downwardly flaring inner wall 15 as shown in Fig. l. Secured to the wedge ring 14 are a plurality of radially directed, vertically extending platelike wedge members 16. The inner ends of the wedge member 16 are connected to an inner wedge ring 17 which is preferably concentric with the outer wedge ring 14 and has downwardly tapered outer walls. As shown in Fig. 1, the upper surfaces of the wedge ring 17 and the wedge member 16 he below the upper surface of the wedge ring 14. As the wedge member 13 is driven into the wooden section 10 the wedge rings 14 and 17 together with the radially ldirected wedge members 16 compress the wood in a manner to anchor the wedge member firmly in the wooden section.

To provide additional surface area for gripping the wood and to further compress the wood, I provide inwardly and radially directed projections 18 on the inner surface of the wedge ring 14 at regular intervals. As shown in Fig. 1, the wedge ring 14 projects above the wooden portion of the pile and into the concrete portion thereof, thus resisting shearing forces which act laterally against the pile.

Drilled into the upper surface of the wooden section Patented Apr. 19, 1960 is a vertically disposed opening 19 for receiving a. reinforcing rod 21 which fits within the inner wedge ring 17, as shown.

From the foregoing description, the assembly of, my

improved composite pile as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, Will be readily'understood. The opening 19 is drilled in the upper end of the wooden section 10 and the reinforcing bar 21 is inserted. The wedge member 13 secured to the lower end of the shell 12 is positioned on top of the wooden pile section 10, which has been driven down the required distance, with the wedge ring 17 surrounding the rod 21. The annular wedge member 14, which carries with it the inner wedge ring 17 and wedge member 16, is then driven down into the wooden pile section by any suitable means, thus anchoring the lower end of the shell to the wood section 10.-

In Figs. 4 to 7 I show a modified form of my invention in which a cylindrical metal shell 12a issecured at its.

lower end to an annular wedge member 13a embodying an outer wedge ring 14a having a downwardly flaring inner wall 15a. The wedge ring 14a is secured to an inner wedge ring 17a by a plurality of radially directed, vertical wedge members 16a. Formed integrally with the lower end of the wedge ring 14a are a, plurality of radially spaced, inwardly extending barbs 23 which engage within the wood'and resist upward displacement ofthe widge member. While I have shown the barbs 23 as being formed integrally with the wedge ring 14a it will be apparent that they may be welded thereto after the,

wedge ring is cast.

As shown in Fig. 4, the internal diameter of the Wedge ring 17a is substantially larger than the external diameter of the reinforcing rod 21 and flares outwardly toward the bottom thereof,.as at 20, whereby the wood is compressed inwardly against the reinforcing rod upon downward movement of the wedge member 13a. To facilitate casting, the lower end of the wedge member16a terminates above the upper surface of the barbs 23 as shown in Fig. 4.

My improved composite pile shown in Figs. 4 to 7 is assembled substantially the same as the pile shown in Figs. 1 to 3. The wedge member 13a is driven downward into the top of the wooden section 10 thus causing the wood to be compressed by the wedge rings 14a and 17a and wedge member 16a. Also, the outwardly flaring portion of the inner wedge ring 17a causes the wood to be compressed firmly against the reinforcing rod 21.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I show a slightly modified form of the invention from that shown in Figs. 4 to 7. In accordance with this construction, I provide an annular wedge member 13b which comprises a single wedge ring 14b having a downwardly flaring inner wall 15b and inwardly directed barbs 23b mounted at regular intervals adjacent the lower end thereof. The wedge member 13b is also secured to the cylindrical shell 12b as by welding;

To assemble the pile shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the wedge member 13b is driven downwardly into the wooden section 10 in the manner described above, thus causing the wood to be compressed within the wedge ring 141) The barbs 23b prevent upward displacement of the wedge member relative to the wooden section 10.

In Figs. 10 to 12 I show another form of composite pile comprising a wedge member 130 secured to the lower end of a cylindrical shell 120, as by welding, and having downwardly flaring inner walls 15c. The wedge member 130 comprises an annular wedge ring 140 which is connected by radially directed vertical .wedge members 16c to an inner wedge ring 170. The internal diameter of the wedge member 170 adjacent the top thereof is .substantially the same as the external diameter of the reinforcing rod 21, thus providing a friction contact therebetween. Also, the internal diameter of the wedge ring 17c. flares outwardly toward the lower end thereof to provide a downwardly flaring inner wall 20c thus causing the wood to be compressed between the wedge ring and the reinforcing rod 21 upon downward movement of the wedge member.

The assembly of the composite pile shown in Figs. 10 to 12 is substantially the same as that described above. As the wedge member is forced downwardly into the wooden section 10, the wedge rings 14c and together with the wedge member 16c compress the wood thus anchoring the wedge member to the wooden section. At' the same time, the wood is compressed between the lower portion of the wedge ring 170 and the reinforcing rod whereby the reinforcing rod is gripped firmly.

In Figs. l3, l4 and 15 I show a still further modified form of my invention in which a wedge member 13d is secured to the lower end of a cylindrical metal shell 12d as by welding. The wedge member 13d comprises an outer wedge ring 14d having a downwardly flaring inner wall 15d and is connected by radially directed wedge members 16a! to an inner wedge ring 17d. As shown in Fig, 13, the wedge ring 17dis provided with an internal diameter which flares outwardly toward the lower end thereof to provide a downwardly flaring inner wall 20d, thus causing the wood to be compressed within the same as the wedge member is driven into the wooden section 19. The top of the wedge ring 17d is closed by a horizontal plate 24. Secured rigidly to the top of the plate 24 asby welding at 26 is the lower end of a reinforcing bar 27 which projects upwardly into the concrete section 11.

To assemblethe composite pile shown in Figs. 13, 14 and 15, the wedge member 13d is driven downwardly into the wooden section 10 whereupon the wood is compressed between the annular wedge member 14d and the outer wall of the wedge member 17d. The wood is further compressed by the vertically extending wedge member 1612,, which join the wedge rings 14d and 17d. Also, as the wedge member is driven downwardly into the wood, the wood is compressed within the wedge ring 174, thus anchoring the wedge member 13d firmly to the lower wooden section 10.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have devised an improved composite pile which is effective to anchor the upper concrete section firmly to the lower wooden ,section. By providingannular wedge members which compress the wood therebetween together with means for compressing the wood along radial lines connecting the annular wedge rings the upper and lower sections of the pileare secured to each other without the liability of splitting the upper portion of the lower wooden pile section.

While I have shown my invention in several forms, it.

will beobvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modificationsv without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. Ina composite structure supporting pile embodying a lower wooden section and an upper concrete section, the improvement which comprises, a cylindrical shell, :1 generally vertically extending driving ring disposed to be driven into the upper end of the wooden sectiommcans securing said driving ring adjacent its upper cnd' to the lowerjend of the cylindrical shell, an inner wedge ring disposed substantially concentric within said driving ring, vertically extending wedge members connecting said inner wedge ring and said driving ring rigidly together and disposed tov move downward into the wooden section concomitantly with said driving ring and said inner ring, and inwardly extending members carried by the inner surface of said driving ring and disposed to move into the wooden section concomitantly with downward movement ofthe driving ring andsaid inner ring.

2. In a composite structure supporting pile embodying a lower wooden section and an upper concrete section,the

section concomitantly with said inner andouter wedge rings, and inwardly extending members carried by the inner surface of said outer wedge ring and disposed to move into the wooden section concomitantly with downward movement of the wedge rings, 3

3. In a composite supporting pile embodying a lower wooden section and an upper concrete section supported on the upper end of the wooden section, the improvement comprising a cylindrical shell for receiving the concrete and forming the concrete section on the upper end of the wooden section, a generally vertically extending driving ring of a smaller diameter than the diameter of the wooden section secured to' the lower end of said cylindrical shell and disposed to be driven downwardly into the upper end of said wooden section with the outer surface of said driving ring incased by said wooden section, an inwardly disposed reinforcing, vertical plate-like, wedge member formed integrally with the inner surface of said driving ring and being of a vertical height at least equal to a major portion of the vertical height of the driving ring, said reinforcing member extending between at least two circumferentially spaced positions on the inner surface of the driving ring to reinforce the driving ring internally, said reinforcing wedge member being driven downwardly into the wooden section concomitantly with said driving ring to compress the wood of the wooden section, and inwardly extending members carried by the inner surface'of said driving ring and disposed to move into the wooden section concomitantly with downward movement of the driving ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESVPATENTS 1,902,380 Seger Mar. 21, 1933 1,916,702 ,Watt July 4, 1933 1,971,691 Nadel Aug. 28, 1934 2,290,855 Myer July 28, 1942 2,701,449 Young Feb. 8, 1955 2,782,606 Fox Feb. 26, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,531 Great Britain of 1913 I 18,094 Netherlands Nov. 15, 1927 75,391 Norway July 25, 1949 

